patterned pumps – the Spiff

Fashion, outfit planning, packing, pattern mixing, west town mall

Pack Like a Pro

April 29, 2015 2 Comments

t-shirt // patterned top // black dress // white blazer // jean jacket // floral pumps // black flats // nike’s // dark skinnies // boyfriend jeans // patterned pants // pink piko top // blue top

Four and a half years ago I started a job that required some travel. In those 4 1/2 years I’ve been schooled on how to pack well.

Last week when packing for a business trip to Indianapolis, I thought it might be a challenge since I’m still learning how to dress with a baby bump. But by making and following these tried and true rules, everything I packed was precisely what I needed…

1. Check the freakin’ weather.

I am amazed by the number of people I go on trips with who don’t check the weather of the city they’re traveling to. You can’t assume they’re having the same weather you are, and it really makes a difference in your comfort level while there. I checked and saw that Indianapolis was going to be waaaay cooler than it was here, so I was sure to pack jackets and a sweater for night time activities. And boy did it pay off – between the cooler temps and the craaaazy wind it was freezing. Check the freakin’ weather.

2. Go through your itinerary to know what you’ll need.

On most trips (even vacation-centered one’s) you have an idea of what you’ll be doing. Business trips especially are pretty planned out. So go through each event and decide what it is you’ll need to wear. If you’re not sure what the level of dress will be, shoot for somewhere in the middle of dressy and casual. This means packing items like blazers and dark jeans. That combination goes well in almost any situation. Something that also goes well is a little black dress. Pack your most versatile LBD (like the one pictured) so that you can wear it with pumps at night, then change to flats and a jean jacket for some sight seeing.

3. Pack items that will pull double duty.

For my trip to Indianapolis I had to dress for a nice reception and meetings during the day. For this I packed one pair of heels (I wear a size 10 so my shoes take up a good bit of room). And sure, the safest bet is to go with your black pumps, but I decided to go with a little more flair and packed my patterned pumps. They really jazzed up my striped dress in the evening and added great personality to my black and white pants (like the ones pictured) for meetings during the day (plus they’re some of my most comfortable heels). All of the other shoes I packed were both nice looking and comfortable so I could easily switch them around to different outfits (and comfortably meander downtown).

4. Remember to pack for down time.

One thing I’ve been working on for the past couple of trips is packing for down time. Simple, casual outfits you can wear after hours that are comfortable and appropriate for public viewing really come in handy and are sometimes easily forgotten. A t-shirt like the one pictured (which ironically says, “Nothing to Wear”) is a great way to go. So is the snakeskin patterned shirt that can also pull double duty under the white blazer.

5. Stick with simple colors or patterns for easy mixing.

Notice the only animal print I have up there is in the black and white blouse from Express. Every other pattern is something different. This makes it so that everything can be easily mixed and matched. At a quick glance, I counted 11 outfits that could be made out of the items above. Keep this in mind when packing, and be sure to lay everything out on your bed before packing it. This will allow you to see the big picture and be certain that you can pull multiple outfits together.

Also, try everything on before you pack it away. I know this adds to your to-do list, but it’s better to know that everything fits and looks well while you can still change it instead of in the hotel room when you’re stuck with what you’ve brought.

I hope this helps you with all your spring/summer trips. Conveniently, everything pictured (except the Nike’s) can be found at West Town Mall!

If you need more packing advice, I’ve given plenty. Click here, here, here, here or here (oh and here).

Fashion, spring, west town mall

The Season’s Most Popular Pattern: Floral

April 6, 2015 No Comments

This is me making a strong effort to introduce a new pattern to my closet. I can’t preach things like, “break out of your box, and try wearing something new!” if I don’t practice it myself.

What better pattern to do that with this spring than floral? I mean, really…even the weeds that spring up flowers look amazing. I think we can pull this off.

I’ve told you before, I’m not very girly when it comes to my style of dress. The only thing in my closet with a bow on it was bought for a Halloween costume. So going with a print this frilly and girly is definitely stepping out of my style zone. However, it can be easily pattern mixed with stripes (of which I have a-plenty), paired with edgier pieces giving you a perfectly balanced look, or patterned in such as way that it doesn’t look overly girly (as in the dress pictured below from New York & Co.)

What’s great about this pattern is it introduces so many color options into your look, so floral can easily become a neutral. I think a pair of floral pumps or flats like I’ve got in the collage would be great because they’d add a pop of pattern and color to the most basic outfits.

Take a look at the options below (all found at stores in West Town Mall) and go with as little or as much floral as your little heart desires!

1. American Eagle glasses case.

2. Altar’d State floral scarf.

3. Forever 21 floral print top.

4. JCP floral pumps

5. JCP floral flats

6. Altar’d State earrings.

7. American Eagle floral shades.

8. New York & Co. floral geo print sheath dress.

Fashion, west town mall

Black, White & Leather

January 26, 2015 No Comments

As much as I love shopping a good sale, I also seriously cherish the feeling of being completely satisfied with what’s in my closet.

And I promise you, if you’ll make goals for your wardrobe this year and follow them when you shop, it will produce a well-balanced closet that will have you leaving as a happy customer every day.

Here are the deets for yesterday’s #ootd…

Piko Top: I’ve already started making good on my promise to buy multiples of an item when I really like it. And boy do I really like these Piko tops. They’re super comfortable, hang just right and provide the perfect backdrop for scarves or statement necklaces. The craziest thing about them? The fabric is 98% bamboo. Which has me looking for space in my yard to plant a couple dozen bamboo trees. Until that time, you can find them here and sometimes at Fiore in West Town Mall.

Statement Necklace: I am in love with the shape of this necklace. I picked this one up on super sale at Forever21. I don’t care how old you are, you need to go in there and check out their jewelry. Easy and cheap pieces like this can really make an outfit, especially if you’re wanting to get in on a trend but still dress your age. I can’t think of a better way to do that than with a $10 necklace (here’s one that’s comparable).

Leather Pants: I’ve wanted a pair of leather pants for a number of years. I held off buying them because I wanted to find the right pair that would fit well, not look too cheap and not require me to take out a loan. I hit the jackpot with this pair by Michael Kors, but here’s a cheaper version that looks just as good. Wear them as pants or leggings to add really cool texture to any outfit.

Patterned Heels: Well, I’ve already given you some good ideas here.

Fashion, necklaces, old navy, Why this works, winter

Styling a Swingy Necklace

January 19, 2015 No Comments

I love a good craving. I can go through long bouts of indecisiveness, so when a craving pops up I’m all about it. Lately I’ve had a craving for long swingy necklaces. I love how they make you feel sexy and carefree. Like you just threw it on (because you did) and yet it looks so polished.

Lately I’ve had a craving for long swingy necklaces. I love how they make you feel sexy and carefree. Like you just threw it on (because you did) and yet it looks so polished.

This necklace was the basis for this whole outfit and I’ll tell you how it came about…

I didn’t want to wear it with just a simple sweater because it still needed some sort of background beyond just one color. That’s when I decided to go shopping and I found this number. The wide army green and black stripes are the perfect backdrop for the gold, and the sheerness of the blouse meant it would work well into spring (something I start to think about this time of year).

The fact that it was only $12 at JCP was a win. I immediately knew I could always throw a scarf on over it or wear it with my leather jacket…two more ways to get use out of it and therefore solidifying my decision.

These skinny black trousers from Old Navy were a perfect fit especially when I paired them with my colored leopard heels (I love me a good pattern mix).

For the rest of my jewelry, I liked doing a black watch and then a pile of bracelets because it meant nothing got more attention than the necklace. A bold bracelet would have taken some of the spotlight.

Note: I hope you enjoyed today’s post! It was a throwback to a post I wrote last January. I’ve got big things a-brewin’ that’s taking up a lot of my time (more on that later). So I’m scaling back the blog (for just a little bit) to 3 day a week posts. This will help me refine my material and be better at bringing you the absolute spiffiest fashion and beauty finds out there! Thanks for continuing to read and have a wonderful day! :)

Fashion, shoes, shopping, west town mall

Treat Yo’ Self Thursday

January 15, 2015 1 Comment

In my house, the word “treat” always has to be spelled out as my little pupster can pick up on it from four rooms away. I have to admit, it is a fun word. In fact I’m a big fan of the phrase “treat yourself” because it can justify so many fun things (all within legal limits of course).

High on my list of things I’m going to “treat myself to” when I find it, is a pair of patterned pumps. I’m on the hunt for black and white ones especially, but as I searched to see what the stores in West Town Mall had to offer, I found a whole slew of pretty patterned options.

If you took one look at that graphic up there and already decided these weren’t for you, remember that you can wear them with long pants and in doing do, would have the funnest peak of pattern sticking out. If you have a closet full of classic pieces then a pair of pumps like these would really perk up your style. Read on sista!

1. Ahh if only these were available in more than just size 7 and 7 1/2. They must have been pretty popular at Ann Taylor, and for good reason! Look how gorgeous they are, and think of all the outfits they’d add some major glam too! I’d wear them with skinny jeans, tights, pajamas…the list is endless, really.

2. If you’re going to go for a colored patterned, why not go all out with these Steve Madden Varcityy Pumps at Belk. If all those colors overwhelm you, think of all the outfits this would match. Not only could you pull out one or two colors, but you could also pair this with neutrals…or *gasp, pattern mix with a simple striped skirt!!

3. These Calvin Klein Dolly Leopard Pointed-Toe Pumps from Dillard’s are showcasing such a beautiful leopard pattern. I love that it’s bigger and so rich looking. Of course I’ll always love a great animal print, and on a lower heel like this that would probably be bearable for a full day – gosh that’s going for the win. (Should I mention again that leopard goes with everything? No, you’re tired of hearing that? Ok.)

4. Let’s not forget the great selection (and current sale) awaiting us at Rack Room Shoes. And for a more subdued floral print shoe look no further than these Xappeal pumps. The underlying color is black, which means these puppies will again (notice a pattern here) go with everything. Especially if you have a solid color dress, oh girl, these shoes would really elevate your look.

5. For the most cautious and quietest among us, there are these (aptly named) Hush Puppies from JCP. With a muted pastel print and a much lower heel, these could really give you a great pattern option, without going too crazy.

It’s truly amazing how far a pair of heels like these will go. Get on over to West Town Mall and jazz up your shoe collection for the winter and coming spring!!